Mutatis Mutandis
by ResurgereTento
Summary: So AU it hurts. In a world filled with prejudice, Naruto seeks refuge at the Institute. Eventual NaruSasu.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: If you honestly believe these two worlds would collide in either canon, I have a pretty white coat handy for you! Not mine, in other words.

Yeah, I know, starting another new fic! Don't worry, I plan out all my fics in advance - I fully intend to finish the others as well. I don't get much time to write though, so I write what I feel like writing. :D

Also, I don't know where this came from. I offer no apologies. XD

* * *

Clutching the strap of his backpack tighter, Naruto shifted his weight and stared up at the gates in front of him. It had taken a long time – longer than he would have liked – but he was here, safe and sound and nervous as all hell.

Everyone had heard of this place. They had heard different things, true, but heard all the same. Most knew it to be a school for particularly intelligent students. The minority – people like Naruto – knew it for something else entirely.

Stumbling slightly, he made his way over to the intercom outside the gate. Glancing briefly at the plaque above it - _The_ _Xavier Institute for Higher Learning_ – he pressed the button to sound the buzzer. Almost instantly there was a reply.

"Naruto Uzumaki?" Naruto blinked, looked up, caught sight of a security camera and then returned his gaze to the intercom. He was about to respond when the speaker sounded again.

"Please, come in," it was a woman, her voice accented. "The Professor has been expecting you."

The gates swung open in invitation and Naruto swallowed. "Er – thank you," he mumbled, unsure if anyone was able to hear him.

Taking a deep breath he started up the long driveway. It was impossible to see much from the gate, but with distance the Mansion revealed itself and Naruto couldn't help but falter in his step.

It sprawled out and towards him, two wings of the immense building curling around a large paved courtyard. He stopped at the edge, overcome by the feeling that he was on the brink of _change_ – like everything came down to this moment, this choice. He could almost see the paths in front of him, stretching to endless possibilities and destinations.

But here – this is where he chose which path he would take.

He gaze fell on the large sculpture in the centre of the courtyard. It was a bird carved from stone, its wings stretching up towards the sky. Stepping forwards he found himself drawn to the statue and was soon crouching in front of it to read the engraved plaque more easily.

_Phoenix Memorial Statue_

_In Memory of our Beloved Jean Grey_

_May She Rest in Peace_

Naruto shivered and turned his face upwards to look at the statue once more. It seemed to embody something he could barely imagine – a mutant so deeply loved that their memory was honoured in permanent stone. The building seemed almost protective of the statue, wrapped around it and looming as he lingered.

He shook himself slightly in an attempt to rid himself of the odd thoughts, glad that the courtyard was empty and no one had seen his daze. Standing, he continued towards the main entrance.

At the doors he paused and glanced back over his shoulder. Setting his jaw he nodded as if in respect, and impulsively made a promise to himself.

_Someday, I'll be someone worth honouring._

And with that, he turned to meet his path.

* * *

Naruto gave a bright, albeit shaky, grin to the man before him.

The man was bald. Naruto knew that the man was Xavier, _the_ Xavier, and that he was in the presence of the man who had saved hundred of mutants practically single-handedly. And yet, all he could think was _he's really, really bald._

The professor was studying him calmly. "You are from England?"

It wasn't really a question, since both knew that Naruto had mentioned the fact in his letter. He answered anyway.

"Yes, sir." _Your head is shiny._

"You have come a long way."

"Yes, sir."

There was a pause. _I wonder if I could see my reflection in it,_ Naruto thought, slightly desperately.

Xavier's mouth twitched. "It is a side effect of my abilities. I was not aware it was quite so…distracting."

Naruto's mouth dropped open and he flushed scarlet. How utterly _mortifying_. Of all the things that could have slipped his mind at this unbelievably important moment, he just _had_ to forget that the man was a_ fucking telepath._

"Oh – oh, god," he stammered. "Look, I'm sorry old man, seriously. It's just, it's _really_ shiny and –". He halted, cringed, and buried his face in his hands.

The professor laughed softly. "It's quite alright. But if I could, I'd like to ask you some questions about your talents."

Naruto looked up and nodded. "But…couldn't you just…?" He made a vague gesture at his head with one hand.

"I could, but I prefer not to." He paused, flipping over a sheet of paper on the desk in front of him. "You can produce copies of yourself?"

"Y-yes."

"And these are solid clones?"

Naruto nodded. "They can move around and stuff just like me. But they do disappear if they're hit too hard by something."

"Interesting. How many copies can you make at once?"

"A lot?" Naruto laughed nervously. "I haven't really tried, honestly. People tended to notice if I made too many."

Xavier nodded in understanding. "I hope you will find all the resources you need here, then. We aim to allow our students to explore the limitations of their abilities, as well as develop finely tuned control."

A smile broke across Naruto's face. He was allowed to stay!

Xavier pressed a button on his desk before meeting Naruto's eyes. "I must return to work now, so someone will be here shortly to settle you in. In the meantime, is there anything else you wanted to mention?"

Naruto bit his lip, a feeling of dread settling in his stomach. He clenched his fists. He couldn't hide anything here, could he? He looked down at his lap.

"Naruto?" the voice was quiet. "Who is Kyuubi?"

He jerked his head up, shocked.

"I must apologise," Xavier sighed. "As I said, I do not enjoy prying into the minds of my students. But I could see something was bothering you, and Naruto, I must assure you that there is no need to keep secrets here."

Drawing a breath to calm himself, Naruto had opened his mouth to respond when the door swung open.

A woman stepped in and Naruto immediately recognised her as the woman who had met him at the door and escorted him to the professor's office. She was tall and dark-skinned, with white hair. It was a striking combination and Naruto had found himself liking her almost immediately. Nonetheless, his jaw snapped shut at the intrusion.

When Xavier spoke, his voice was gentle. "Naruto, this is Storm. She is one of my oldest and most trusted friends. You can speak freely in front of her."

Slowly, Naruto nodded.

"Who is Kyuubi?"

"I –" he swallowed. "I don't really know. He's just…always been there. He's a fox, I think. I mean, I know that sounds stupid but I've seen him a couple of times and he looks like a gigantic fox."

"You've seen him? Have you spoken with him?"

"Yes," he winced. "It wasn't pleasant."

"I see," Xavier looked pensive. "Does he affect you at all?"

Naruto glanced away. "Yeah…I can kind of feel it when he does. It's like I'm drawing on his power…he makes me stronger, faster," he shuddered. "But I don't try too often."

He found himself looking to Storm. Her expression was gentle, but unreadable. When he glanced back to Xavier the man was rubbing his mouth, brow furrowed.

"Storm," he started. "Tell me. Does this remind you of anything?"

"It reminds me of Phoenix, Professor."

Naruto looked between the two of them, surprised. "Phoenix?"

Xavier turned his eyes to Naruto, considering him carefully. "There was once a woman here, a telepath by the name of Jean Grey," he paused, but soon continued. "For part of her life her body also housed an entity by the name of Phoenix. Your experiences sound similar to hers."

Naruto couldn't believe his ears. He had thought himself to be alone, even among mutants. And Jean Grey…_the statue._

Xavier was still speaking. "Phoenix proved to be a difficult case. If your situation is similar we must approach it immediately, though with caution." He eased his wheelchair out from the desk and navigated it around until he was face to face with the blond boy. Lifting his hands, he placed one on each of Naruto's temples, and then raised his eyebrows in question.

Naruto bit his lip, and then nodded in permission.

* * *

When he opened his eyes he was in a familiar dark corridor, water splashing around his feet. Xavier was standing beside him.

He did a double take.

"You – you're standing!"

The professor looked faintly amused. "We are in your mind. This is simply a mental projection of myself, not my physical being. Therefore, I no longer have the limitations of my usual body."

Naruto blinked and, deciding that pretending he understood would be the best move, nodded. "I guess you want to see the Kyuubi?"

"Please."

Turning, Naruto lead the way down the corridor. He had only been here twice before but he knew where to go instinctually – there was a pull, drawing him towards their destination.

Neither spoke, the silence broken only by the soft splashing sounds made by their footsteps. Gradually, however, they became aware of a deep growling on the edge of their hearing. It was more a physical shuddering than sound, echoing through the walls themselves.

Catching sight of the doorway ahead, Naruto's fists clenched involuntarily. Light spilled through it, a dark, hot orange. He glanced towards Xavier, who nodded at him briefly. Swallowing, Naruto stepped through.

The room was enormous, the ceiling stretching into darkness. It was dominated by what Naruto referred to as – for want of a better term – the cage, because that's exactly what it looked like. Bars as thick as trees stretched upwards, forming the structure for a pair of doors. Plastered across the middle was a piece of paper with unfamiliar writing. The inside of the cage was in shadow.

"Don't…er," Naruto started, strangely nervous. "Don't get too close. He can be a bit…angry."

The professor's attention was focused upwards, towards the slip of paper. "The writing is Japanese…I'm afraid my Oriental languages are a little rusty, but I believe it says 'seal'."

Naruto's brow furrowed. "Does that help?"

"Somewhat," came the response. "It seems your situation differs from that of Jean after all."

"So we're not the same?" he couldn't help the frown that pulled at his mouth.

Xavier looked thoughtful. "There are similarities. Both of cases involved an inhuman entity residing in the mind, presumably capable of taking control of your body. But where Phoenix had freedom within Jean's mind, your guest," he spoke the word with a small, sad smile, "appears to be imprisoned."

**Observant of you, mortal.**

The voice was something primal, shuddering through Naruto's body and jarring his heartbeat. He tried not to flinch, but instead looked to the side. Xavier's expression was calm, face tilted upwards. After a moment, Naruto followed his gaze.

The sight was familiar, but nonetheless terrifying. A pair of eyes, huge and gleaming, was set in darkness above a fanged grin. Each tooth, he couldn't help but notice, was larger than he was.

Xavier tilted his head. "Who put you here?"

A sudden growl ripped through the room, nearly loud enough to be a roar. It was utterly terrifying. Xavier didn't flinch.

_How can he possibly be so calm?_ Naruto thought, panicking slightly.

**Who are you to ask questions, mortal? **The voice was laced with malice.** I should shred you where you stand.**

"I'm afraid you would not achieve much satisfaction from that," the professor said, unfazed. "I am not actually here, after all."

Naruto blinked. _That would explain it._

Rustling came from beyond the cage, as if the fox was shifting.

There was silence. Naruto shifted uneasily from foot to foot.

The professor tried again. "Why are you here?"

Teeth glinted in the torchlight. **They dared.**

"Who did?"

A snarl, quick and sharp. **It does not concern you, insolent mortal.**

Xavier sighed. "I see." Naruto watched as the professor turned his back on the creature, deliberately. "Come. It is time for us to go."

And just as an enraged roar filled the room, Naruto found himself back in the office with silence ringing in his ears.

* * *

Okay, so I completely raped X-Men canon. But that's alright, because X-Men canon rapes itself all the time. For the most part, I'll be drawing from the old animated series – this means, for example, that Rogue is her spectacularly awesome Southern self (as opposed to a wangsty teenage moron) and that Gambit, y'know, exists. But basically I intend to pick and choose as it suits me, so ne'er.

If you want a rough timeframe though, it's mainly comic book - I'll go with after the construction of the dorms but before Magneto blew the thing sky-high. So Phoenix is dead, but Xavier is still hanging around.

Also, Naruto's currently a bit OC. But I figure anyone would be like that, having flown halfway across the world to meet the only bunch of people who _didn't_ particularly want to set them on fire. Don't worry, he'll be back to normal soon!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two finally arrives! I'm slow, I know, life sucks and all that.

I feel like I should apologise to the hardcore X-Men fans. Please go easy on me, I'm no expert! That said, if I've made a ridiculous mistake PLEASE GOD point it out. XD

By the way, 'Mutatis Mutandis' (for those who don't already know) is the motto for the Institute, and means (sorta) "with those things having been changed which need to be changed." Is there a more graceful way of putting that? 'Cause ugh. But that's the general meaning. :)

I'm still setting the scene, apparently, so I'm fairly pdihsfdvd about this chapter. But. Unbeta'd, as usual.

* * *

The hallway outside of Xavier's office was empty, and if Naruto hadn't been as tightly wound as he was he may have been tempted to test for an echo. _Maybe later,_ he thought as he wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans. He wasn't sure who was supposed to be meeting him, but he'd been waiting for ten minutes by this point and it wasn't helping his nerves. He shifted his weight and leant against the wall, absently nudging his backpack with a foot.

Travel light – that had always been the key. Ever since his…enforced departure from the orphanage when his abilities had manifested, he had never managed to settle down for longer than a few months at a time. Like most mutants he had gone underground and fled to the city, losing himself in one London hideout after another. It had never been a pleasant existence as he had always been on the run – from everyone, it seemed; the police, the vigilantes, the hyped-up adolescents on a power trip. He was entirely too sick of it since it had never been in him to run, but the Professor's teachings had reached him even in the darkest, dankest corners of the sprawling city.

_Do not fight them. They hurt you because they are afraid, and they are afraid because they do not understand. They will, but we must teach them._

He heard the murmurs of disbelief and cynicism all around him, but he had accepted the words. They gave him hope. He believed, because he had to believe.

So he had pulled together all the resources available to him, and he had come to the Institute. This had led to him being here now, casting furtive glances down the hallway every thirty seconds. He wanted to make absolutely certain that he saw anyone that was coming a mile off, to give him time to prepare.

Which was why he was completely and utterly caught off guard when a head popped out of the wall three inches to the right of his own.

With an undignified yell he flung himself across the hallway, plastering himself against the opposite wall and staring, wide-eyed, at the disembodied head.

Which was grinning at him.

"Y-you just," he stammered. "From t-there. Wall. _Wall_. Big, solid _wall_. I was _leaning_ on it!" He watched, aghast, as a body calmly followed the head.

It was a woman – though probably not much older than him – dressed simply in black pants and a blue shirt. She looked distinctly amused. "Gets them every time," she said, with a rather smug smile.

Naruto swallowed, and tried to slow his heartbeat through sheer force of will. "Not funny."

"Not to you. But seriously, shouldn't you be used to this sort of thing by now? Haven't you seen any other mutants?"

"No. I mean yes," he said, watching warily as the woman stepped closer. "Just not in _walls_."

She laughed softly. "You should probably get used to it, you know. You'll see stranger things around here." Smiling, she extended a hand. "I'm Kitty, by the way. Kitty Pryde. Glad to meet your acquaintance, and all that."

Naruto found himself coming to the belated realisation that she was right. This wasn't a normal high school, no matter what the knot of nerves in his stomach was telling him. It wasn't a mutant shelter in London either, where they wrapped themselves in rags and huddled together for warmth. Here, there was no shame and no need to hide his abilities, no need to shy away from others. After years of living on the automatic defense, this was going to take some getting used to. But – well, why not start straight away?

Naruto straightened and took her hand. "Naruto Uzumaki. Er…same to you."

Stepping back, Kitty gestured down the corridor. "Well, now that I've made you shriek like a little girl, we can be on our way. Heaps to see."

Naruto paused in picking up his backpack. "Oh, so you're giving me the tour, th-wait! _Who_ shrieked like a little girl? I did _not­-_"

But Kitty was already halfway down the corridor cackling a cackle, Naruto thought, that dripped pure evil.

* * *

Forty-five minutes later, Naruto was ready to maim puppies. This was sad, he thought, because he rather liked puppies.

It wasn't because he was tired – he had always had the stamina of a horse, and he was proud of it. It wasn't that he was bored – the Institute was undeniably incredible, even if he couldn't figure out why the hell it included a hedge maze (utter childish glee at finding it aside). It wasn't even Kitty – she was a perfectly amiable girl when she wasn't trying her best to make him piss his pants.

He was lost. He would never admit it, but every turn they took and every classroom Kitty pointed out just sent him deeper on his spiral of confusion and it was incredibly, painfully frustrating. How was he supposed to find his way without a guide?

"And here," Kitty said, oblivious to his inner panic, "is the main public gym. Wanna see?" Without waiting for a response, she pushed open the double doors.

Stepping through, Naruto forgot his problems instantly. He sucked in an awed breath as his gaze swept over the huge room. The far wall was one large window, displaying a backdrop of forest. To the far left were a number of standard exercise machines along with a wide space of open floorboards, bordered by a mirrored wall. The rest of the room, however, consisted of a thick padded floor and what could only be described as a massive playground that had been built by a schizophrenic child and then tortured into the haphazard obstacle course from hell. Recognisable gymnastic equipment was dotted through endless nets, pits, climbing walls and ramps. From the roof hung a vast number of ropes and chains, crisscrossing and occasionally connecting to the structure below.

Belatedly, Naruto realised that someone was flinging themselves around up there.

"Everyone's in classes at the moment," Kitty said, smiling at his expression. "It's usually a lot more crowded than this."

Naruto continued to stare, eyes fixed on the figure above them. They appeared to be defying the laws of gravity, twisting in impossible directions and then catching themselves at the last moment.

Kitty blinked at him, then followed his gaze. She broke into a wide grin and cupped her hands around her mouth. "Kurt! Oi, Kurt!"

Naruto glanced at her in surprise, before turning his gaze back toward the roof in time to see the figure start towards them. The descent was dramatic and fast, and as they hit the last bar he had just enough time to think _blue_ before they were flying towards him.

Or, as he realised only after he had yelped and brought up his arms to defend himself, Kitty.

He watched, stunned, as she traded punches with the newcomer, apparently having managed to dodge the first fist. They were fast, tireless and fairly evenly matched – Kitty's form was fluid and graceful, but the newcomer was stronger and more agile. Naruto had never seen anything more awesome in his _life_. There didn't seem to be an end in sight…until there was a loud_ bamf _of rushing air and suddenly the blue guy was _behind_ Kitty, and using his tail to trip her up.

Tail. Right.

"Not fair!" Kitty whined from the floor. "No powers in sparring!"

The blue man laughed, and offered her a hand ­– _three fingers! – _to help her up. "I believe it is rather unfair for me without them," he said, and Naruto noted the heavy German accent. "Not all of us have been graced with the same martial arts knowledge as yourself, unfortunately."

Kitty stuck out her tongue, but allowed herself to be pulled up. Then, as if suddenly remembering Naruto's presence, she turned to him. "Oh! Naruto, this is Kurt. Kurt, this is Naruto, the newest addition to our lovely home."

Kurt turned to him, smiling, and extended a hand.

Naruto however was still in shock, eyes wide. "T-that…you…I mean, you're…"

The air around them suddenly dropped a few degrees and Kitty tensed, biting her lip. Kurt's hand was still extended, but his eyes were wary and defensive. A moment ticked by.

And then, suddenly, Naruto leapt forward and wrapped both of his hands around that of the blue man.

"That was _fucking brilliant_!" Naruto was grinning, eyes bright. "You _teleported_! And what you were doing up in the ropes!" He turned his gaze to Kitty, while keeping a tight grip on the hand he was offered. "And the fighting! Can you teach me? Please!"

The tension left the air with an almost audible whoosh. Kitty was smiling. "I guess we could do that."

"When? Now? _Please_!"

The other two laughed. "Not yet," Kitty said. "I have to show you your room, first."

"Soon?"

"Soon. Now, come on. Are you finished in here, Kurt?"

"I was only entertaining myself, really, as there is not a great deal to do at the moment. Have you seen Logan around at all?"

"Not recently," Kitty replied. "But you know him."

The two of them continued to chat as they left the room, Naruto trailing behind. Kurt pulled the doors closed behind them before rejoining the others, a smile still on his face. Naruto was quiet, turning everything over in his mind and mulling through the possibilities. "_Teleporting_," he mumbled to himself. "God, the pranks I could pull off with that…"

Kurt's gaze snapped around to Naruto. "You…like to make mischief?"

"What?" Kitty exclaimed. "No, no, not another one, you _can't_ –"

The grin Naruto gave him was wide enough to break his face in half. "Hell _yes_."

"Kurt, he's _new, _don't get him in trouble yet –"

Kurt smiled in return, yellow eyes twinkling. "Oh, I think I shall like you."

Kitty buried her face in her hands.

Oh yes, it was the start of a beautiful friendship.

* * *

I tossed up with introductions – nicknames or real names? But I figure they'd mostly use real ones around the Institute, so there you go. If you're not all that familiar with X-Men, it might help to know that Kitty Pryde is Shadowcat, while Kurt Wagner is Nightcrawler. As for Kitty – I couldn't stop myself. It had to be her. She was possessed by a freaking ninja demon, people, come on. And Kurt's playful side isn't brought up nearly enough for my liking. XD

Why am I so unbelievably fond of the idea of an English Naruto? I seriously have no clue. He just turned up like that.

The gym – not canon, that I know of. But I figure the young 'uns would have had some sort of non-dangerous equivalent of the Danger Room. The Undanger Room? XD

Is this the beginning of an Institute fight club? Time will tell. 8D

Next chapter – meet the _other_ canon kids! ie., Other Naruto characters. :D


	3. Chapter 3

I'm alive! And I bring fic! I've returned from Singapore and London (both were fantastic) and while I have a MASSIVE amount of work to catch up on – I came back a week and a half into university term – I thought I'd post this first!

There should also be a few chapters posted to other fics shortly (when I can type them up from my notebooks) and, uh, at least two new fics (-bricked-).

Anyway, enjoy! This chapter is dedicated to Andrew Shumway – an incredible reviewer if I ever saw one. I really, really appreciate it:D

* * *

Kitty drew to a halt in front of one of the numerous identical doors that lined a long corridor. They were alone in the hall, Kurt having waved them goodbye a short while prior with a mention of books and someone's study. Naruto hadn't caught the whole sentence, mainly because he hadn't been listening. The surroundings were far more interesting – especially since they had passed a number of classrooms with open doors. He had craned his neck to see inside and found his interest returned as the students sitting near the doors blinked at him with open curiosity.

The passing doors had been closed for a while now, however, and the pair of nameplates gleaming on each of them told Naruto that he had been led to the dorms.

Kitty gestured to the door beside her, to which only a single nameplate had been affixed. It proclaimed 'NARUTO UZUMAKI' in bold letters, and the subject himself felt something warm swirl inside of him at the permanency of it.

"This is where you'll be staying, from here on in," Kitty said with a grin. "You're alone at the moment, so make the most of it – it doesn't usually last long. Oh, yes…"

Eyebrows drawn in sudden recollection she began to feel through her pockets in search of something, while Naruto merely fought the urge to run his fingers over the engraved lettering.

"Aha!" The triumphant exclamation shocked Naruto back to reality, and he watched attentively as Kitty swiped a card – presumably produced from her pocket – through the reader next to the door. There was a click, and she turned the handle.

"This card belongs to you. Look after it, because it grants you access to all student areas, amongst other things," Kitty explained. "You'll also need it for dinner – it's to make sure everyone only eats one meal, I think."

Naruto perked up at the thought of dinner – he hadn't eaten since the flight. Turning to the girl, he looked at her with sparkling eyes. "So when _do_ we get fed around here?"

Kitty laughed at his enthusiasm. "You'll hear the bell ring. In the meantime, start getting unpacked." With this, she shoved him through the open doorway.

He stumbled forward, recovered, and then shot a glare over his shoulder.

"Good luck!" Kitty called as she closed the door behind him. "I'll see you around!"

The door clicked closed, and there was silence in the room. Naruto looked around, carefully taking in his surroundings.

It was a small room, but far nicer than he was used to. Two neatly-made beds rested against opposite walls, divided by two side tables and a window. A pair of identical wardrobes completed the room's simple furniture.

Dropping his backpack onto one of the beds, he began to explore the room in more detail. A closer look revealed a panel latched into the wall over the bed that folded down to form a makeshift desk, at a comfortable height for a student sitting cross-legged on their mattress. A glance out the window registered a rather wonderful view over the Mansion's pool and basketball court and, beyond that, the lake. Naruto grinned at the thought of getting out there after he was settled.

Turning back to the room, Naruto noticed something he hadn't before – a small device set into the wall near the door. It had a card reader similar to the one outside, but this also had a small keypad and a display screen. Bemusedly, he swiped his card through the reader. The screen instantly came to life, lighting up with the words '_You have three new messages'._

"A messaging service, huh?" Naruto murmured thoughtfully. "And I'm already so popular!"

Working out the method quickly, he opened the messages and read them one by one. The first was presumably a generic message for all new arrivals, welcoming him to the Institute. The second was from Kurt, inviting him to spar in a week's time – something that made Naruto grin widely. The last message, it seemed, was from Kitty:

_Glad to see you sorted out MM okay! I mean this service – Mansion Messaging – if you didn't pick that up._

_Anyway, I forgot to tell you. You have an appointment with the Doc tomorrow at 10am. Don't miss it, okay? It's important. But don't worry either; it's just standard stuff for the newbies!_

_See you soon!_

Naruto pressed the button to close the messenger, eyebrows raised. The Doc? That sounded a little…strange.

Shrugging it off, he turned back to his bed and eyed his backpack.

"Well," he murmured to himself. "At least it won't take me long to unpack."

* * *

When Naruto finally found his way to the cafeteria – some time after the bell had actually rung – he was assaulted by noise. Dumbfounded, he stood in the doorway and simply stared. It was chaos. Dozens of young mutants were smiling, chatting, laughing and unabashedly using their abilities, they were _living_. Naruto had never seen anything like it, and it was fantastic.

He was jolted back to reality when he felt a stray – disc? – something fly past his head. Blinking, he went to gather a dinner tray, moving quickly through the queue and swiping his card at the counter. Afterwards he looked around, clutching his tray, and suddenly realised he had no idea where to sit. Everyone seemed to have their place, as concrete as if the seats were labeled. Despite the company of so many like him, Naruto had never felt quite alone as he did in that moment. He the now-familiar nerves began to tingle in his stomach as he gazed out, attention caught by a boy delivering five floating plates to his waiting friends.

His aimless stare then fell on the table furthest from the door, in the back corner against the window. It was empty barring a single boy with dark hair, around Naruto's own age. He was ignoring the food in front of him, eyes closed and hands folded by his mouth. Immediately, Naruto set course for the other boy, plastering a wide grin on his face. After all, outcasts should stick together, shouldn't they?

As he drew closer, the dark-haired boy's eyes snapped open and locked with his. Naruto found his steps faltering at the cold glare he received, feeling the subtle threat those dark eyes projected. With his grin fading Naruto hovered, unsure of what to do.

"Oi, newbie."

Mentally blessing the distraction, Naruto jerked his head around in search of the speaker. His eyes fell upon the table he had drawn closest to, where a brown-haired boy was grinning up at him.

"Come on, take a seat. And don't mind him," the boy said, jerking a thumb towards the back corner. "He's always like that, the jerk-off. I'm Kiba, anyway, who're you?" The apparently-Kiba boy had moved sideways as he spoke, leaving a space free. Tentatively, Naruto took it, before breaking into a wide grin.

"Naruto Uzumaki!" he introduced himself with gusto. "Blond bombshell of London! I guess you've realised I just got here." Glancing across the table, he took in the appearances of the other occupants – a rather scrawny boy who was watching him with unnervingly sharp eyes, and a chubby boy who seemed so focused on his food he probably hadn't yet noticed Naruto's presence.

Kiba snorted. "You're new, alright," he said, laughing. "Never seen anyone be so obvious about it before."

Colouring slightly, Naruto laughed and scratched the back of his head in nervous embarrassment. "I have to say, I've never seen _anything _like this before," he said, before pausing and twisting in his seat to glance back at the loner. The strange boy's eyes were now directed out the window, but his expression had not relaxed.

"Don't worry about it." Naruto turned and found that the scrawny, pony-tailed boy had spoken. "Everyone arrives here as an outcast, but the only ones who stay that way are the ones who choose to."

While it was mildly terrifying that this stranger had just pinpointed exactly what was bothering him, Naruto was profoundly grateful. He grinned, with full feeling this time. "All-righty then, understood. What was your name?"

"Shikamaru," the boy yawned, a lazy expression making Naruto wonder if he had actually seen that previous sharp look to his eyes. "And this," he continued with a gesture towards the boy next to him, "is Chouji."

Chouji looked up long enough to acknowledge the exchange with a nod, before returning to his food.

"The boy over by the window is Sasuke-freaking-Uchiha," Kiba added to the introductory exchange. "Stuck-up prick and all-round pain in my ass. He doesn't talk to anyone much – seems pretty pissed at the world in general, honestly."

Naruto raised his eyebrows. "Ice Prince, is he?"

Kiba snorted again, this time with unfortunate timing. He choked on his drink in the process, doubling up to cough. Naruto pounded his back, amused, but the other boy recovered quickly. "I think that title is more suited to Bobby, though for different reasons."

Shikamaru smiled slightly at Naruto's obvious confusion. "You're troublesome, newbie. Bobby is a teacher's assistant here – he's good with ice. On the other hand, Sasuke over there tends to prefer electricity."

"Just don't touch the asshole," Kiba shuddered. "You know how if you touch something after you scuff your shoes along the carpet, you get a little shock? It's like that, only twice as bad."

"I think he does it on purpose," Shikamaru added thoughtfully. "Defence mechanism against those fans of his." He pointed towards Sasuke and Naruto followed the prompt, turning and noticing for the first time that the table next to the stoic boy was filled with girls. Most of them were giggling, heads together.

"Like hell he does!" Kiba said. "I'd be the one to know, I've run into him enough times!"

"Bet you."

"You're on," Kiba took the challenge, before snickering. "Although, we figure his ability has something to do with that hairstyle of his." Kiba's grin held a little malice, and a lot of mischief.

"He does look a little electrocuted, doesn't he?" Shikamaru murmured. He turned to Naruto. "How about you? What's your mut – ah – gift?"

Kiba laughed. "Yeah, what are you in for?"

Seeing Kiba's open eyes and Shikamaru's unconcerned expression, Naruto felt a previously unnoticed something uncurl inside of him. It let go of its chokehold and he was suddenly able to breathe, so he did so – slow and steady. Then he smiled, true and honest with shining eyes, before opening his mouth to tell his story for the first time.

Shikamaru was right. He wasn't an outcast anymore.

* * *

BWAHAHA. I hope I didn't destroy anyone's dreams by making Sasuke an electric baby. Fire was out because of Pyro (I know, I know, there's also Multiple Man but he's not as well known…or something) and there's still Kakashi and Itachi to think of….

So electric it is:D

So – who is the Doc? What are the X-Men currently doing? Why does Sasuke chafe Kiba so much? Will Naruto experience Sasuke's natural shock first-hand? Etc, etc. Hopefully I shall return soon!


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